Method of and means for handling aircraft



Sept. 15, 1931. w. v. N. POWELSON ET AL 56 ns'rnon or AND umus FOR HANDLING uncan'r Original Filed Sept. 21, 1921 2 Sheets-Shea 1 Sept. 15, 1931. v. N. POWELSON ETAL 1,323,466

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR HANDLING AIRCRAFT Original Filed p 2 1921 2 SheetsSheat 2 VAVAVAYAVAYAY Patented Sept. 15, 1931 witrnrn v. 1v. .rownLsoN,

PATENT orl-"lcs.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND- WARREN TRAVELL, OF SAN BEBNARDINO, CALIFORNIA METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR HANDLING AIRCRAFT Original application'filed September 21, 1921, Serial No. 502,127. Divided and this application filed March 17, 1931. Serial No. 523,252.

' This invention pertains to methods of and means for handling aircraft. More particu larly, it pertains to the handling of airships which have been made fast to suitable mooring apparatus, as, for example, masts and the like. It embraces a system by which an airship may be moored at mast-head levels, brought down under control to the surface of the earth, and then transferred from the mooring mast to suitable housing equipment. In a preferred form, the invention embraces a mooring mast having a connecting device rotatable about the axis of the mast, an airship cradle capable of radial motion away from the mast, and means for moving the airship cradle about the mast in such manner as to cause it to underlie a moored airship.

I-IeretOfore, a large ground crew has been zonece'ssary for the proper handling of an airship, but even with the best of facilities it has been difiicult to transfer the airship, after mooring, from the mooring equipment to the hangar. It is an object of this invention to,

25 eliminate these disadvantages and to accomplish the desired results in a more satisfactory way. 1

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, which are more or less diagrammatical, I

Figure l is a plan showinga transfer car movable on a circular track about a central mooring tower, a cradle car with track therefor on the transfer car and leading away therefrom, and an airship suspended in a cradle on the cradle car;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same in section across the track pit through the tower; Figure 3 is an end elevation on a larger scale of a detail of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan showing an airship in a cradle car which is movable on a circular track about a central mooring mast;

. Figure 5 is a side elevation of the same in medial section; I Figure 6 is an end elevation on a larger scale of the airship and cradle car of Figure 4. In the drawings, Figures 1, 2 and 3 show an arrangement of central tower 9 and circular tracks 270 in which a cradle car 280 rests on a transfer car 310, movable by power means, which transfer car 310 runs on circular tracks 270. Cradle car 280 is movable by separate power means along any track 271, of which a number may be provided on different radii, continuing along the surface of the ground to any point desired. The transfer car 310 is movable on its circular track 270 to a position below the moored position of airship 1, which will vary with the wind. After 50 the airship is lowered from such moored position to its berthed position on the cradle car 280 it, with its cradle car, may be moved ofir from the transfer car 310 to a point within a hangar if so desired. V

Figures 4, 5 and 6 show a tower 9 revolvable on track 10 having a vertical way 21 along which a carriage 13 is movable and to which carriage an airship 1 may be attached. On the ground is a circular track 270 concentric with the mooring tower on which track there is movable a cradle car 280. The airship '1 on being moored to the tower in dotted position, head to the wind, may be lowered under control to a position in suspended cradle 36 on the cradle car and fastened down to the cradle bar by ropes, after the cradle car has been brought to a position beneath the airship. If desired, protection from the ele-' H ments for the lower part of the ship may be so obtained by the use of weather-proof strips 42 and flashing strips 41, covering the space between the airship and the sides of the cradle car.

The invention may thus be said to embrace a mooring and handling system for aircraft which involves attaching the airship to a connecting device movable circumferentially' about a vertical axis and lowering the airship to a suitable cradle car movable radially away from said axis. In the preferred species, the cradle car is mounted upon a transfer car which is capable of independent circumferential motion in a shallow pit. The airship on being lowered to the cradle car is made fast thereto and then moved therewith to an appropriate hangar.

The subject matter of this application has been divided out of our parent application 502,127, filed September 21, 1921, for means 100 r for mooring and housing airships. It is intended that the patent to be based on the present application, by suitable expression in the appended claims, shall coverwhatever,

features of patentable novelty are herein disclosed.

We claim: 1. In a dirigible handling device, the c0mbination of a mooring mast, circular bearing surfaces about the foot of the mast, a radial carriage adapted to swing pivotally on said circular bearing surfaces about the foot of the mast as a center, rails upon the radial carriage, means 'for'moving the radial for holding an airship and means for lowering said airship,-While moored to the mooring mast to a position on the cradle.

3. In equipment for holding an airship, the combination with a cradle car adapted for holding said airship, of a covering over said cradle car comprising the upper surface of said airship when in the cradle car and strips of weather-proof material covering the space between said airship and the sides of the cradlencar, I

V 4:. In equipment for holding airships, the combination of a'mooringmast; a circular way about said mast as a center; a transfer car movableon said circular way and carrying a section of straight track; a continuation ofthe's'traight track outside of the circular way; a cradle car adapted for holding an airshipand movable-along said straight track and continuation track; -means for lowering said airship while moored to themooring mast to a position on the cradle; and separate means for moving the transfer car and V the cradle car on theirrespectlve ways.

5. In adirigible handling devicethe comblnation ofa mooring mast, c rcular bearing surfaces at the foot of the mast, a radial carriage adaptedto swing pivotally on said circular bearing surfaces about the foot of the mooring mast'as-a center, rails uponthe radial earriage,-a fixed track placed radially with respect to the mooring mast and adapted d to be broughtinto register in alignment with the rails of the radial carriage by movement of the carriage about the mastand acradle for holding the dirigible adapted to run upon the'rails of the radial carriageand of the fixed track. 7

v 6. -In-a;dir igible handling device the com-1 ment with the radial carriage by movement 1 of the carriage about the mast and a cradle for holding the dirigible adapted to run upon the radial carriage and fixed track.

7. Inca dirigible handling device the combination of amooring mast, circular bearing surfaces'about the foot of the mast, a radial carriage adapted to swing pivotallyon said circular bearing surfaces about the foot of the mooring mast as a center, and a cradle forholding the dirigible adapted to run-upon the radial carriage. r V

8. In a dirigiblehandling device the combination of a mooring mast,circularbearing surfaces. aboutthefoot of the mast, a radial carriage adapted to swing pivotally about the-foot ofthe mooring mast as a center, rails upon the radial carriage and a cradle for holding the dirigible adapted to run upon thesefrails.

9. A dirigible handling device, the combination ofa mooring mast, a radial carriage adapted to swing pivotally about the foot of themast as a centeigrails upon'the radial carriage and a cradle for holding the dirigible adapted. to run upon these'rails, and a fixed-track leading to a hangar or the like, With which track the rails upon the radial carriage maybe brought into line.

10. Apparatus for-mooring airships comprising a mooring mast, means providingfor up-and-down movement ofan attached airship along said mast, and platform means rotatable about said mast as a center, said'platformmeans being disposed-ma shallow pit surrounding, said mooring mast.

Signed at San Bernardino, California, this eleventh day of November, 1930.

WILFRID V. N. POVVELSON. WARREN TRAVELL. 

